(from SSC Press
Release) After holding the "World’s Fastest Production
Car" title for the past year, the Shelby SuperCars' Ultimate Aero is
receiving several refinements for the 2009 model year. The SSC
engineering team equipped the 2009 Ultimate Aero with a 15% increase
in horsepower, a revamped front fascia design, and an array of
important interior upgrades. The most substantial change is an SSC-designed,
1-piece billet aluminum engine block. A milestone for the
limited-production automobile manufacturer, the new block improves
structural integrity and oiling capabilities allowing SSC to boost
the power output to 1287 horsepower while improving durability.

Armed with the more powerful new engine, the '09 Ultimate Aero will
be able to reach world-record speeds of 270 MPH, raising the
benchmark for supercars and pushing the limits of current production
car technology. In order to accommodate the '09 Ultimate Aero's
unique fuel system requirements, SSC turned to American company
Aeromotive to develop a flawless system. The aggressive nose is
redesigned with enhanced aerodynamics to accommodate the 2009
Ultimate Aero's higher top speed, and carbon fiber louvers on the
side intakes draw in an additional 20% of air into the radiators for
improved cooling. The improvement in overall performance will widen
the already sizeable gap between the Ultimate Aero and its
competitors. The '09 Ultimate Aero also introduces the AeroBrakeTM a
rear spoiler system that deploys under braking situations. Finished
in carbon fiber, the rear spoilers actuate up an additional 8" when
the brake pedal is depressed. The speed of the spoiler actuation is
set by the amount of brake pedal pressure. The complete AeroBrakeTM
system can be disabled by the push of a button, for town driving or
situations where braking and downforce assistance are not necessary.

Rounding out the '09 Ultimate Aero's improvements is a revamped
interior. A redesigned dash prominently displays sleek, exposed
carbon fiber dash halves and inset air vents. Carbon fiber accents
run along the doorsills, surround the new gauge cluster, and
continue onto a revised steering column, which includes an analog
speedometer and tachometer with a sequential shift light integrated
into the tachometer needle. The new center console incorporates a
digital temperature control unit and tire pressure monitor along
with an Azentek PC base Infotainment unit. The revolutionary Azentek
unit offers all the capabilities of a PC and processes SSC's onboard
diagnostic software.